100 days until Brexit: 100 reasons for a final say

Today, Wednesday 19th December 2018, is 100 days before the UK is scheduled to leave the European Union. Best for Britain has compiled a list of 100 reasons why we need the people to have the final say on whether we leave the EU or rebuild Britain from within.

It is clear from this list and everything else we have learnt from this tortuous process that the first referendum was factually bankrupt and the current political situation is damaging Britain’s economy and international reputation, eroding our civil rights and threatening the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Eloise Todd, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, said:

“This list is stark reminder of the damaging uncertainty that Brexit is creating. This is overwhelming evidence that we need a final say on Brexit.” Todd added, “The truth is that millions of people have changed their minds since the 2016 vote. As we head into 2019, our parliament is in deadlock, none of the versions of Brexit give us prosperity or control, and it’s time to put the future into people’s hands.”

100 Reasons for 100 Days: Why we should stay in the EU

Leaving the EU is no longer the will of the people. Polling has consistently shown that the UK would now vote to remain in the event of a people’s vote, with 56% of the population who would vote to stay.

Latest polling shows that 66.2% of British voters want a people’s vote on the final deal, giving control over the process back to the people. This includes the majority of people who voted leave in 2016 (57.3%).

Parliament is gridlocked and there is no clear way of resolving the debate. A people’s vote with the option to stay in the European Union would provide a clear path forward, preventing the UK from falling off the cliff into a No Deal Brexit.

Those most affected by Brexit didn’t get to vote in 2016. This includes non-British EU nationals in the UK, 700,000 Brits who had been living abroad for more than 15 years, and those who were too young to vote last time round but have to live the longest with the consequences.

UK Influence in the EU

As part of the EU, the UK has more influence globally and within Europe. A House of Lords committee report has suggested that the UK will “lose influence” even if the UK stays part of the EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP).

At the moment, the UK has a significant voice in the formation of EU legislation. Under the Government’s proposed deal, as well as with Norway Plus, we would lose all influence in legislation that will affect us on issues of trade, state aid and workers’ rights.

The UK enjoys significant benefits in its relationship with the EU. The UK has chosen not to join the Euro or the Schengen Agreement, as well as having an opt-out on specific pieces of legislation relating to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Justice and Home Affairs pillar. These allow the UK to form its own policies, whilst also being a major player in the world’s largest free trade bloc.

The UK spearheaded the single market and digital single market, and has been a key proponent of liberalization in the EU.

The UK supports most legislation put forward by the EU. In fact, the British Government has only voted against 2% of EU laws since 1999. This is roughly equivalent to the number of times the UK government has lost votes in the House of Commons.

According to the Former Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade, the Government’s red lines of keeping an open and frictionless border between Ireland and Northern Ireland whilst also maintaining the integrity of the UK internal market are incompatible, and cannot be kept.

This is backed up by the House of Commons’ Northern Ireland Committee, who published a report which concluded “We have seen no evidence to suggest that, right now, an invisible border is possible.”

There is a serious concern that the human rights and equality provisions which are a baseline part of the Belfast Agreement could get lost in hectic final negotiations. That could have a very harmful effect in an already fractious political situation in Northern Ireland.

The Economy

The EU is investing €40 billion into UK through the European Structural and Investment (ESI) funds and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund for the current funding period (2014-20).

The Government has agreed to a ‘divorce bill’ of at least £37 billion. The Office for Budget Responsibility have confirmed we will be paying off the divorce bill until 2064, a huge hit to public finances.

By remaining as a member of the EU, the UK would be able to regain more than £200 million a week in business growth that has disappeared from the UK economy since the 2016 referendum, according to the Governor of the Bank of England. The Government’s own impact analysis shows that leaving the Single Market means the UK will need to find an additional £55 billion in borrowing by 2033.

The Government’s own analysis shows that even if the UK manages to negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU our GDP will be 4.9% lower than if we stay in the EU.

Britain currently participates in European Reference Networks (ERNs) which allow British patients with rare diseases to benefit from medical expertise across the continent. If Britain leaves the European Union, it is likely to cease participation in these.

Health assessments are currently undertaken at the European level through the European Medicines Agency. If Britain leaves this and fails to secure a mutual recognition agreement, it will have to undergo a separate (deprioritised) approvals process and patients will have to wait longer to access innovative medicines.

The European Arrest Warrant has been crucial to the security of the UK. The UK issues, on average, over 200 European Arrest Warrants each year, bringing back high-profile criminals to the UK such as Hussain Osman, who attempted to carry out a terror attack in London in July 2005.

It was through collective action in the EU, that Theresa May was able to garner Europe-wide support in the wake of the Salisbury attack, rubbishing the idea that the EU does not play an important role in European security and defence.

Britain is completely dependent on EU workers to pick our fruits and vegetables. A survey from the National Farmers Union shows that more than 99% of seasonal workers in the UK come from eastern Europe, with just 0.6% from the UK. In 2017, there was a shortfall of approximately 4,000 EU seasonal workers working on UK fruit and vegetable farms where fruit was left rotting in the fields.

Trade

The EU has just signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with Japan, creating the world’s largest free trade zone in 2019, accounting for one third of global GDP. After Brexit, the UK will lose access to this market.

Customs checks at Dover ‘would take eight hours per lorry’ in no-deal Brexit. Haulage bosses have said that government plans for customs are ‘dire’ and that the government is in denial over scale of issue.

Analysis suggests that EU tariffs on cars alone could add at least an annual £2.7 billion to UK imports and £1.8 billion to exports.

Food and Agriculture

Brexit would be bad for British fishermen. The EU has repeatedly said that it would only allow British seafood exporters tariff- and quota-free access to EU markets in exchange for a reciprocal agreement that EU fishing fleets can continue to operate in British waters.

Brexit would be bad for UK farmers. Subsidies make up over half of their incomes and the majority of UK farmer subsidies come from EU payments.

The US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has confirmed that, in order to get a trade deal with the US, the UK would have to lower food standards.

EU laws require that all food packaging must be labelled clearly and all ingredients used in food products must be listed. Any GM ingredients must be flagged up, along with all colouring, preservatives, sweeteners and other chemical additives. Any ingredients that consumers may be allergic to, such as nuts, must be marked, even if the quantities used are very small.

In the food and beverages sector, Agra Europe observed that, in areas such as food labelling and pesticide residues, ‘any significant divergence from EU standards in these areas could make UK goods illegal on the EU market’.

The British Government, in contrast, has been far from steady in its support of scientific development. In recent years, effective financial backing of science and technology has been below inflation, despite on-paper claims of increased investment.

The House of Lords' European Union Committee heard in March 2017 that, in the pharmaceutical industry, UK standards would need to be recognised as equivalent by the EU as a prerequisite for ongoing EU trade. Regulatory harmonisation and conformity to common labelling requirements may increase the production costs for British pharmaceuticals.

Funding for UK tech firms by the European Investment Fund (EIF) fell by 91% during 2017 to €61.1m (£53m) compared with €708.8m the previous year. Tech investors claim the funding decreased in the wake of Article 50’s triggering.

The UK Tech sector has been a thriving hub and a leading player in devising rules and regulations around the EU’s Digital Single Market. This leadership would be put at risk with a UK tech recession following Brexit.

The Environment

The climate and energy package, whilst being inadequate in its current form, has been a major factor in driving the deployment of renewable energy in the UK.

EU’s Clean Air Policy Package is forcing Governments like our own to clean up their act. Though they are reluctant, Ministers know that the threat of legal action looms if they don’t reduce the levels of killer pollution in our towns and cities.

In 1976, the European Union passed the Bathing Water Directive which compelled countries to clean up their act. Under even stricter rules passed by the EU in 2006, over 97% of England's bathing waters have met the new minimum standard. Our beaches and seas are cleaner and coastal economies have been given a boost because of EU regulations.

The UK was the driving force behind the EU Birds Directive which aims to protect all of the 500 wild bird species naturally occurring in the European Union. We would lose this influence post-Brexit.

Like the Birds Directive, the UK was instrumental in the Habitats Directive which ensures that bats, newts, otters, lizards and other species are guarded against overzealous development and destruction of the areas in which they live.

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Promoted by Best for Britain, the campaign name of UK-EU OPEN POLICY LIMITED registered at International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London, EC1A 2BN. Best for Britain is registered with The Electoral Commission.